The Ministry Of PUPR Calls The Balikpapan-Samarinda Toll Road As The Face Of IKN Infrastructure

The Manggar Toll Gate, which is part of the Balikpapan-Samarinda toll road section in East Kalimantan Province. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of PUPR)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) through the Sustainable Toll Road Appraisal Team conducted an assessment of the quality of toll road and rest area services on the Balikpapan-Samarinda Toll Road in East Kalimantan Province.

The assessment of this sustainable toll road is carried out every year by the Ministry of PUPR in order to encourage the transformation, innovation, and modernization of toll roads, one of which is the Balikpapan-Samarinda Toll Road which is part of the freeway network to the IKN Nusantara area.

The Assessment Team, Johny P Kusumo, said that the Balikpapan-Samarinda Toll Road is likened to the face of the IKN Nusantara road infrastructure which carries the concept of Smart Forest City.

Therefore, the Sustainable Toll Road Assessment Team emphasized the need for improvement in the greening aspect along toll roads and rest areas.

Johny assessed that, apart from being an aesthetic, reforestation is also important to dispel silau at night and most importantly be able to reduce the carbon emissions produced by vehicles.

"Currently, as soon as we got off the airport to IKN Nusantara, we passed the Balikpapan-Samarinda toll road, so it can be said that this toll road is the face of the capital city of the archipelago. With the concept carried by IKN, we emphasize the fragility, cleanliness, beuatutification, reforestation, dry toll slopes are also taken care of, including trees in the rest area," said Johny in his official statement, on Friday, September 22.

The toll road and rest area are a service unit that aims to provide comfort for toll road users.

There are three aspects of assessing sustainable toll roads, namely the main function of toll roads, supporting functions in rest areas, and complementary functions in rest areas.

The main functions of toll roads include aspects of smoothness, safety, and comfort for toll road users. The function of toll road support is in the form of implementing regulations on rest areas and services on toll roads that refer to the fulfillment of minimum service standard indicators (SPM) rest areas, such as the availability of toilets, parking areas, gas stations, places to eat and drink, prayer rooms, and so on.

Meanwhile, complementary functions in rest areas are indicators beyond SPM that can optimize the use of rest areas such as cleaning rest areas, waste management, local economic branding through MSMEs, cooperation with local governments and the community, and reforestation.

Previously, PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said that improving the quality of toll road services would have an impact on the comfort and safety of toll road users.

Basuki believes that a better toll road environment will contribute to the comfort and safety of driving on toll roads, especially not only on the road, but also on the rest area.